Title: Weapon Involvement and Injury Outcomes in Family and Intimate Assaults

Publication Date: June 1992

What does it say?

This study looked at the risk of death in family and intimate assaults when a gun is used. Police incidence reports that recorded family and intimate assaults that took place in Fulton County, Atlanta, GA, for the year of 1984 were used.

The study found that in incidences of family and intimate assaults the use of guns was 12 times more likely to result in death than assaults that did not involve a firearm. Compared to knives or other cutting instruments, the involvement of a gun increased the risk of death by 3 times and compared to other weapons and bodily force, risk of death increased 23 times if a gun was involved.

How can I use it?

In recognition that the use of guns in assaults raises the risk of death, we need to make it more difficult for dangerous people to get guns by requiring background checks for all sales and keep guns away from domestic violence offenders.

Citation

Saltzman, Linda E. et al., “Weapon Involvement and Injury Outcomes in Family and Intimate Assaults,” JAMA, 267 (22) (1992): 3043-3047

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